I did some looking around just regarding transportation. I assumed good dates (obviously flexible) would be January 1 (Thursday) through January 4 (Sunday). I haven't looked into Springfield options yet, but I can research that, too, if you guys would like. Or, you are of course more than welcome to come up to KC early, crash with us, and travel with us to STL. Totally up to you guys, but consider this an open invitation.
From KC, here are a few possibilities if we wanted to hit up public transit as a group. I chose "8 adults" as a random number:
Amtrak:
- Leaving KC @ 7:10am on 1/1/09; arriving STL 1:10pm. Later train (leaving KC @ 4:00pm; arriving STL @ 9:40pm) is available. Later train may be nice, as many of will have stayed up late for New Year's....
- Return would leave STL at 4:00pm on 1/4/09; arriving KC at 9:40pm. Earlier train (leaving STL @ 8:30am; arriving KC @ 2:10pm) is available, if people need to get back for class/work on the 5th.
- Round trip for 8 people would be $208/each way ($416 total). That's $26/person each way, or $52/person TOTAL (but NOT including taxes).
- Total Travel Time: 5h40m each way.
- Pros: Can get up and walk around. Lots of leg room in the seats (compared to car, bus, or plane). Snack car.
- Cons: Smells like toilets. Single decker. Makes lots of stops in Podunk towns.
Megabus:- Leaving KC @ 8:45pm on 1/1/09; arriving STL 1:00am.
- Return would leave STL at 3:00pm on 1/4/09; arriving KC at 7:50pm. Earlier bus (leaving STL @ 5:30am; arriving KC @ 10:00am) is available, if people need to get back for class/work on the 5th.
- Round trip costs: From KC to STL for 8 people is $68. The earlier return bus would be $56 for 8 people. The later bus would be $85 for 8 people. So, going with the butt-crack-of-dawn earlier return would be $15/person TOTAL (NOT including taxes). Going with the later return would be $19/person TOTAL (NOT including taxes)
- Total Travel Time: between 4 to 5 hours each way.
- Pros: Free WiFi. Double decker (pimp view!). Cleaner and safer than Greyhound. Doesn't make any small town stops (pretty straight shot). Very cheap.
- Cons: Rather inconvenient travel times. Not much leg room. Bathroom = *shudder*. Would have to book soon to get good prices (ticket prices quickly get ridiculous the closer they are purchased to the date of travel). Weird people ride buses.
Greyhound:- Three departure options: (1) Leave KC @ 7:15am; arrive STL @ 11:40am. (2) Leave KC @ 12:50pm; arrive STL @ 5:15pm. (3) Leave KC @ 10:00pm; arrive STL @ 2:25am.
- Three return options: (1) Leave STL @ 1:20am; arrive KC @ 5:30am. (2) Leave STL @ 7:30am; arrive KC @ 11:55am. (3) Leave STL @ 6:45pm; arrive KC @ 11:20pm.
- Round trip costs: Total for 8 adults is $604, or $75.50/person TOTAL (but NOT including taxes).
- Total Travel Time: between 4h00m and 4h30m.
- Pros: Flexible departure times. Fastest travel times. Probably some epic stories to be made.
- Cons: Not much leg room. The whole bus smells like the bathroom. Obscene prices (unless we can catch a deal). Unreliable service. Really weird people ride Greyhound.
Fly commercial airline:- Departure: Leave KC @ 1:41pm, with connecting flight in Denver. Arrive in STL @ 6:13pm.
- Return: Leave STL @ 6:58pm, with connecting flight in Denver. Arrive in KC @ 10:25pm.
- Round trip costs: Total for 8 adults is $3498, or $437/person TOTAL (but NOT including taxes).
- Total Travel Time: ~4h30m (not including airport security...).
- Pros: Flying! Saying we were in Denver (only a 30 minute layover, though).
- Cons: No leg room. Only 9 seats left at this price. Not exactly in the spirit of parkour (efficiency and all...). Airport security. I get airsick. And then there's the price tag...
Private Charter Jet:- Price: I was afraid to ask...
- Pros: Super flexible travel times (we tell them when and where). Our own private jet. Definitely the pimpest way to go.
- Cons: Price. I get airsick.
Rent a Minivan!:- Departure and arrival would obviously be flexible. Probably depart KC early afternoon. On return, leave STL early afternoon.
- Round trip costs: Total to rent is ~$450, but only seats 7. So, if 7 pack in, that's $64/person NOT INCLUDING GAS.
- Pros: Ultimate flexibility in travel times, bathroom breaks, food breaks, music, etc. Can be helpful once in STL. Real men ride in minivans.
- Cons: Not much leg room. Packing in 7 would be tight. Gas can get really pricey. Having multiple drivers is additional money. Road conditions can be unpredictable in winter.
Post on Craigslist!:- Post an ad on Craigslist and basically carpool/hitchhike with complete strangers.
- Price unknown, but would include pitching in for gas.
- Pros: Possibility of adventure. Possibility of meeting cool people. Possibility of spreading parkour.
- Cons: Unreliable and unpredictable. Possibility of meeting serial killers.
So, those are just a few options. Of course, the dates (Jan 1-Jan 4) are totally flexible as well. It's going to ultimately be up to the guys at STL as to when they are available to host and what they're interested in. I just thought I'd get the ball rolling.
Also, combinations of travel options may be used. That's the beauty of buying one way tickets. We could, for a random example, take Amtrak there and Megabus back.
